Choose the statement(s) where the underlined word is used correctly:
(i)
A prone is a dried plum.
(ii)
He was lying prone on the floor.
(iii)
People who eat a lot of fat are prone to heart disease.
Options:
(A) Only the repressor remains bound to the operator
(B) Only the cyclic AMP-Catabolic Activator Protein (cAMP-CAP) complex remains bound to the
CAP binding site
(C) Neither the repressor nor cAMP-CAP complex remain bound to their respective binding sites
(D) Both the repressor and cAMP-CAP complex remain bound to their respective binding sites
Official Answer Key:
D
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
### **Official Solution & Step-by-Step Derivation (GATE BT 2016 Q.03)**
**1. Governing Concept & Question Classification**:
- **Section**: General Aptitude (GA)
- **Question Type**: **MCQ** (1 Mark)
- **Topic**: English Vocabulary & Usage (Homophones / Word Meanings: Prone vs. Prune)
**2. Detailed Step-by-Step Analysis**:
- Let us evaluate the usage of the word **prone** in each sentence:
- **Statement (i)**: *“A prone is a dried plum.”*
- **INCORRECT**: A dried plum is called a **prune**, not a prone. This confuses the adjective "prone" with the fruit noun "prune".
- **Statement (ii)**: *“He was lying prone on the floor.”*
- **CORRECT**: **Prone** means lying flat with the chest facing downward (ventral position), which is a completely standard anatomical and idiomatic usage.
- **Statement (iii)**: *“People who eat a lot of fat are prone to heart disease.”*
- **CORRECT**: To be **prone to** something means to be susceptible, predisposed, or likely to suffer from it.
- Therefore, the word is used correctly in **(ii) and (iii) only**.
- **Option-by-Option Evaluation**:
- **Option (A) [INCORRECT]**: Statement (i) incorrectly uses prone for prune.
- **Option (B) [INCORRECT]**: Omits valid statement (ii).
- **Option (C) [INCORRECT]**: Includes incorrect statement (i).
- **Option (D) [CORRECT]**: Statements (ii) and (iii) use "prone" in its correct respective meanings (lying flat and susceptible).
**3. Final Answer / Verification Summary**:
- **Official GATE Answer Key**: **D**
- **Scoring Criteria**: +1.0 Mark (Negative marking: -0.33 marks).
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